Shimla marches towards informed voting

In a concerted effort to deepen democratic engagement and enhance voter awareness, Deputy Commissioner (DC) and District Election Officer (DEO) Anupam Kashyap announced a series of robust outreach initiatives across Shimla district. Under this plan, Election Pathshalas and Electoral Literacy Club activities will be conducted on a regular basis to educate citizens — especially the youth — on the importance of voting.

Addressing the media, the DC stated that Election Pathshalas will be held on the first Saturday of every month at all polling stations, while Electoral Literacy Clubs will organise activities on the third Saturday in all educational institutions. “These programmes are aligned with the directives of the Chief Electoral Officer, Himachal Pradesh, who is also expected to visit select institutions to witness these efforts firsthand,” said Kashyap.

To ensure seamless implementation, instructions have already been issued to Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and Electoral Registration Officers (EROs). Moreover, Assistant EROs, Naib Tehsildars (Election) and Election Kanungos have been tasked with monitoring and facilitating these awareness activities within their respective assembly constituencies.

In addition, the DC has directed Himachal Pradesh University, the Deputy Director of Higher Education and the principals of all Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to conduct special voter registration drives through their respective Electoral Literacy Clubs. These drives will particularly focus on enrolling left-out eligible voters, with an emphasis on first-time and young voters.

“The core aim of these initiatives is to strengthen the roots of democracy by fostering informed and proactive electoral participation among citizens,” Kashyap emphasised.

Himachal Tribune